Minority Mental Health Awareness

What is "Mental Health"?

​Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.

MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA

Mental health stigma is dangerous and keeps millions of people from seeking the help they need. Transient mental health challenges are common and often occur during moments of transition, with loss of relationships or loved ones, or moments of excessive stress. Additionally, approximately 1 out of 5 individuals may experience a more severe mental health concern at any some point in their lifetime.

Mental health is important and should never be associated with fear, shame, or discomfort. Encourage yourself and others to put an end to mental health stigma. Learn more about how to care for and maintain your mental health.

Anxiety

Emotional Fatigue and Burnout

Sometimes mental health symptoms may not fit the profiles of general depression or anxiety. Therefore, it is important to know the warning signs of emotional burnout and fatigue. Some of these signs may include:

Increased aggression

Increased vigilance and suspicion (i.e. suspicious of other people or social institutions; avoiding eye contact with others; trust and engagement confined to a select few people)

COPING WITH SOCIAL INJUSTICE

It is a fact that ethnic minorities and other oppressed groups experience prejudice, discrimination, adverse effects of stereotypes, and daily microaggressions. These experiences are unpleasant and can lead to increased mental and physical health challenges.

Consider incorporating the following self-care suggestions into your lifestyle and daily routine:

1. Take a break from social media!What it took me awhile to realize was that my force feeding news and articles about the injustices of our society did not really enhance my knowledge of what was happening. It just reinforced my own experiences of oppression that I had felt and been well aware of for most of my life. So no wonder it causes immense anxiety, anger, and agitation. It’s somewhat like continually opening a wound that wants to heal. It slows the healing process and can be painful.

But beware, guilt well follow and come in the form of thoughts such as “…but I need to know what is going on,” or “I need to help others know what is happening.” Trust me. You know what is going on, and so do we. Allow yourself to take a break.

2. Take care of yourself.Allow the healing process to begin. Oppression and its negative effects can gradually take its tool. It’s normal to want to fight these experiences but it’s also very necessary to make sure that your mind and body are healing from these various assaults and daily microaggressions.So take the time to figure out what makes you feel good! Is it a good book? Maybe spending time with friends. Maybe it could be enjoying really good food or finding time for more naps. Whatever it is, do it and commit to doing it every single day.

3. Internalize one important belief.As I mentioned previously, shifting one’s perspective from what one can give to the world to what one can give to oneself, is life altering. While there is no problem with wanting to give of yourself to make a better world for others, there is something insanely reassuring about knowing that I can also do that simply from taking the best care of myself and doing what makes me happy. It is rare to know individuals who are truly living, rather than existing. It is a gift and one of the utmost pleasures to be able to come alive in a world full of troubles.So remember, “Do not ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman.

4. Live your best life!Once you make self-care a priority, and begin to live a life that makes you feel whole and complete, life will begin to feel pretty good. The goal is to stay in this moment, and to continue to live the best life you possibly can, despite the circumstances of your environment. This may not feel possible every day, but it should always be the ultimate goal. You may be surprised at how much simply taking care of yourself and living your life fully will encourage and inspire others to do the exact same thing, which is exactly what the world needs most.

WAYS TO GET HELP

If you are experiencing mental health concerns, please do not suffer alone.